Anthropology

Overview

The M.A. and M.S. degrees in Anthropology offer five flexible and appropriately individualized 33-hour concentrations culminating with the completion of a quality master's thesis. Each student, in consultation with the graduate advisor and committee chair, will choose one of these concentrations of study.

Students will elect to take a curriculum in one of the five concentrations. However, in consultation with the graduate coordinator, and/or the Anthropology Graduate Committee, other concentrations are possible for a student who wants to design an individualized program using the courses of the University and the Department, and the expertise of the faculty. The five concentrations are as follows:

Point of Pride

The Anthropology graduate curriculum is flexible and individualized, allowing students to customize their program in one of the four subfields, preparing them to either enter the workforce or pursue their Ph.D.

Advising

How to Apply

University Admission Requirements

have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year

have a minimum 2.8 GPA (on a scale in which an A is a 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work

present official transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. Transcripts can be emailed from the university to Admissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Office of Admissions, 201 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 2200, Normal, IL 61790-2200

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

A student applying to this program must:

have bachelors degree in anthropology, history, geography, or a related field

have at least a 3.0 GPA (on a scale of 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work

submit official scores for the GRE (use institutional code 1319)

submit a statement of purpose to the online application. The applicants should specify which concentration (historical archaeology, prehistoric archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, or Japanese Studies) they are interested in; admissions decisions take into consideration the compatibility of the applicant’s proposed research with the expertise of our faculty.

submit names and email addresses of two references for letters of recommendation within the online application

Application Deadlines

Graduate Assistantships

The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,

be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program

be in good-standing

be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).

Benefits

Graduate assistants receive

monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage

a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment

a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment

Costs & Funding

See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from continuous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.